The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-11
A VERY DISAS IROUS FIRE.
TEE WESTERN UNION TELE-
GRAPH OFFICE AT PITTsBURG
Completely Gutted-The Fire Orig
mated in the Crossing OF
Wires-Heavy Loss.

PnrsBURG, Pa, June 10.-Shortly
after midnight last night, the crossing
of wines, from which the covering had
been worn, in the Western Union Tel
eRrsph Company's operating room in
the First National Bank building, at
the corner Of Fifth avenue and Wood
street, caused slight fire behind what
is known 40 the switchboard. The
blsze was extinguished with little
trouble and without loss. Just at half.
past five o'clock, the two operators
who had been left in charge Of the Of
fee for the balance OF the night, j. P.
McKeever and George E. Stewart, no.
ticed another blsss on the switch
board. MIR. McKeever ran for a can
OF water to throw on the fire. When
he returned, few minutes later, the
whole switchboard was in fl amer, and
the fire was working its way around
the room. The operators Iao out to
give the alarm, but before they reach.
ed the street the whole front Of the
building was on fire. Alarms were
sent in, and in q few minutes several
engines were on the ground. Before
they arrived flames were shoe ing from
all the windows on the fourth floor,
and had worked their way into
the fifth floor, ia which
was stored 5000 battery cells.
There cells are covered with signal oil,
about eight barrels OF the oil being
used in the room. The oil caused the
fire to burn more fercely and rapidly,
and by the time the engines were
ready to throw water it seemed that
the destruction of the entire building
was inevitable. Entering the building
from all sides were hundreds OF tele.
graph wires. Many of these were
bound toge her in cables. These were
quickly burned of, and the single
wires soon shared the same fate, cut.
ting Pittsburg completely off from the
rest OF the world 30 far as the West
ern Union service was concerned.
Hall an hour after the fire was dis.
covered the fourth and fifth floors of
the large building were completely
gutted, and the third floor, which was
need as the operating room OF the
Telephone Exchange, was badly dam
aged. The telephone wires had shsred
the same fate as those of the Western
Union Company. By $3.50 o'clock,
what had been two hours before one
OF the finest buildings in the city, was
practically ruined, 80 far as apptar-
aDces went,
Through the excellent work OF the
fire department the fire was confined
to the First National Bank building.
The only other sufferer was the ALLIE
gheny County Light Company, whose
wires were damaged to some extent.
As soon "a the telegraph circuits
were broken the business OF the COM
psny, 30 far as it could be, was turned
into the eight circuits OF the Mutual
Union, branch of the Western Union
service. The Office at the corner of
Wood and Diamond streets was at
once filed with messenger boys and
operators, and old instruments and ia.
bles were pressed into service, and 30
far as possible work was speeded. TIE
regular forces at the branch offices
were also increased, and by noon COM
municstion was once more established
East and West.
The telephone company will not be
in ambition to do business for at least
ten days, and it will be several weeks,
perhaps months, before they will be-
IN as good shape as before the FIRE.
For the present the Mutual Union
office in the Germsnla BsDk building
viii be used as the main office of the
Western Union, but just as soon as
possible more suitable quarters will be
secured. The Effects of the fire are
being felt in all branches Of business.
Pool rooms and bucket shops were
compelled to close up and compare
lively little business was transacted
today at the various exchanges.
Estimates of the loss vary greatly,
The direct loss OF the Western Union
Company alone by the destruction Of
wires and machinery is not less than
$35 900 To this must be added heavy
const quenlial Damages on account OF
the delay in general business, as Pits
burg is the principal repeating sta.
ton between New York and Chicago.
The direct loss of the telephone com
pany was placed by come good Judges
at from $4,000 to $4,000. The con-
g. qUeltial damage 10 this company
viii also be heavy, as its business
must be suspended for several days.
The loss to the Fret National Bank
on account Of the damage to the
building will be about $4,000. The
whole direct loss closely apprcximates
$40 OOO, and TIE indirect loss will
equal and may greatly exceed that
sum.
There were no casualties, although
a messenger boy and several fremen
had narrnW aoaana